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Dual Vulnerability of Being Both a Teen and an Immigrant Parent: Illustrations from an Italian Context

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Abstract

Italy has experienced a recent surge in immigration, which has led to an increase in the country’s birth rate. Many immigrant mothers are adolescent parents. 30 adolescent mothers (17 recent immigrants and 13 adolescents of Italian descent) completed measures of adolescent self-development and motherhood, perceived availability and satisfaction with social support, and emotional and behavioral characteristic of their children. Findings suggest that immigrant teen mothers show more difficulties related to parenting than do Italian born teen mothers. In particular, immigrant teen mothers report lower levels of social support satisfaction and availability, higher levels of parent–child dysfunction, and experience motherhood and child behavior as more problematic. The findings highlight and confirm the need for well-designed, specific supportive services for adolescent immigrant mothers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Gina Riccio, Emma Baumgartner & Fiorenzo Laghi

  2. Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada

    Yvonne Bohr & Deborah Kanter

Authors
  1. Gina Riccio
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  2. Emma Baumgartner
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  3. Yvonne Bohr
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  4. Deborah Kanter
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  5. Fiorenzo Laghi
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Correspondence to Fiorenzo Laghi.

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Riccio, G., Baumgartner, E., Bohr, Y. et al. Dual Vulnerability of Being Both a Teen and an Immigrant Parent: Illustrations from an Italian Context. J Immigrant Minority Health 16, 321–325 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9726-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9726-z

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